'When you provide weapons to Russia, you become an accomplice in the crime of aggression,' says Ukraine

Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba would not be drawn on making conclusions on whether South Africa loaded arms onto a Russian vessel when it docked in Simon’s Town in December.

“Our overall policy is very clear: we think (and we are very confident that) there is a very big difference between providing weapons to Ukraine and providing weapons to Russia because when you provide weapons to Ukraine you are helping a country to defend itself against the aggression and to defend its territorial integrity. 

“When you provide weapons to Russia, you become an accomplice in the crime of aggression. You also violate the UN Charter, violate someone's territorial integrity with all relevant consequences and we will continue talking to South African authorities on this in an attempt to establish the whole truth about this event,” he said.

Kuleba was speaking to African journalists on Wednesday ahead of a peace mission by African leaders to Kyiv and Moscow in mid-June in a bid to end the war which broke out in February last year.

The minister was asked about the explosive allegations by US ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety who accused the country of arming Russia.

The comments led to further tensions between the US and South Africa and President Cyril Ramaphosa establishing an inquiry to probe whether arms were loaded onto the vessel.

Kuleba said: “Some months ago, we receive information that this ship may have carried prohibited items. We (then) received a clear message from South Africa that it was not the case. I know that the US and South Africa are working closely establish all of the details. We are looking forward to the outcome of this investigation or whatever you call it.” 

For now, he said, he did not want to be drawn into making conclusions on the matter.

“We saw the piece of information and we heard the reaction from South Africa. We think more evidence should be exchanged and provided on this matter to find out what happened and whether it happened.” 

The Sunday Times reported at the weekend the presidency said the report of the inquiry into whether arms were loaded onto the Lady R will not be made public.

The panel investigating the controversy is not a commission of inquiry, said presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya.

Its terms of reference will not be gazetted or published. The work of the panel, chaired by retired deputy judge president Phineas Mojapelo, will not be public, nor will its report be released publicly.

“The investigation covers issues of national security and classified information, which is protected from disclosure,” Magwenya said. 

Commissions regulated by the Commissions Act have the power to summons witnesses to appear and give evidence and the power to compel that documents be provided.   

The work of this panel “will be supported” in obtaining the information it needs “by letters from the president instructing all relevant government entities as identified by the panel to co-operate fully with the panel or face disciplinary sanction”, said Magwenya.

It is unclear whether the panel would be able to force non-government entities to provide evidence. On May 23, journalist Sam Mkokeli reported on the Semafor news site that South Africa was investigating the possibility that a private company illegally loaded a consignment of arms onto the Lady R. 

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